We moved from Dallas, TX. It seems that we keep going from one psychotic to another.We went to Long Beach to buy a table and ended up getting rear ended taking it home. The person tried to flee. Then the whole after dark neighborhood of druggies and hookers showed up and nearly ran into us again. Another car accident happened right in front of us as we were parked. The police showed up and did nothing. We just got our first water and power bill, almost $700 – lots of fees and extra charges. Neighbors: One guy sits out on his porch all day and all night into the wee hours. Across the street: Just found out they are some raving loonies shouting epithets for what reason I don’t know.It sounded like jewish people that I knew in NY, sounding shocking/psychotic I was playing with my son outside and it sounded like they made a comment (famous in LA) then a slew of obsenities. 2 people left almost backing up into a car on the street. Another got into his car in the dark and watched us. When we went to go inside it sounded like he stared shouting again. Both of these houses I believe are rentals. We are in a nice neighborhood.
What’s your secret for dealing with LA?
I mean I know people do more than put bars on their windows and doors and cameras and dogs around their houses.
What are your keys to living in LA?
I know people are going to say “move somewhere else”. It’s a no brainer, right. Can you have a no brainer in LA? Anyway it’s not an option right now. There are some interested things in LA….the beach, food….uh the beach. I need a way of life for LA. I know people have ideas because there are probably more detail/control freaks here than even Dallas and that’s a lot.
@Muppet (assuming you ever read this – probably not but here goes anyway) No I don’t live in the ghetto or even LB. I live in W LA. I didn’t live in a ghetto in TX either. I couldn’t live in one. I understand that there are thefts in N. Dallas but I never heard of the kind of things that you went thru. We had Mex heroin in Plano (n.dallas basically) and we had thefts (the majority were illegals) car burglaries mostly. A few rednecks holding up banks but that seemed to die down.
I really wouldn’t try to compare TX to LA bc there is no comparison. I’m originally from CA (LA) and lived back east as well in the tri state area.
I will say that it is nice having a beach but I used to go to nice lakes in TX (sorry for the comparison)
What i’m looking for is your clear,concise philosophy for living in LA, your approach and your method for dealing with common problems. It’s a very general question but I know some people will get it. And even if they don’t whatever they trow out there for me to
Thanks for the input Muppet you are very helpful. PS I have been reading up on CA and LA history since I have been here. I can’t say that I am a big fan of the LA Times though. I do their crossword sometimes.
#1 by Corruptedspirit, Resurrected on June 23rd, 2011
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the best tip for living in LA – move someplace else
#2 by Muppet on June 23rd, 2011
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2 Buck Chuck, that’s how I deal with LA. Kidding!
Sorry, I read your original question wrong. I’m very familiar with Plano and the heroin issue they had a few years ago. I graduated from JJ Pearce and grew up in FND, not Richardson. You had heroin and we had a lot of teen suicides. I lived in Dallas for 34 years.
West LA is what I would call urban and Plano isn’t by a long shot. It’s busy, busy and more busy. It makes Preston Rd. rush hour traffic look like a Sunday morning country road.
I live 2 blocks from the beach and tend to stay along the coast. I even work a mile from the beach In Orange County. The people tend to be more relaxed along the immediate coast.
By Texas standards I was a tree-hugging liberal, but by California standards I’m almost right wing. People are a tad uppity and confrontational here. I haven’t figured out how to deal with their in your face ways. I cuss a lot more, I can tell you that! People tend to wear their heart on their sleeve here.
It’s hard to meet new people when you’re over the age of 30, but I’ve found a handful of friends that are only crazy in a good way. When I start to think everyone here is a jerk I remember I’ve met some great people that have helped me get to know the place. They’ve actually gone out of their way to make me feel at home.
Sierra Madre is a cute town where people actually smile at you, hold open doors and stop patiently while you walk across the street. I go there to mellow out and have my faith in humanity restored. The hidden beaches of Palos Verdes are another place to go and chill out and get away from crazy people.
I spend a lot of time in northern San Diego County since my girlfriends family live there. The people are much friendlier and it’s a slower pace of living. The beaches are great and clean.
Another thing I do quite a bit of is hiking. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is a bit far for you to drive, but its clean and quiet. Sometimes an hour passes before I see another person.
Obviously my way of dealing with life here is to find places that are quiet and devoid of people.
I know what you’re going through.